Minor segmental wall motion abnormalities detected in patients with Chagas' disease have adverse prognostic implications

Recent data from our laboratory have shown that patients with the indeterminate form of Chagas' disease can have impairment of left ventricular contractility, as evaluated by the slope of the left ventricle end-systolic pressure-dimension relationship. We also showed that Chagas' disease patients with minimal baseline wall motion abnormalities detected by two-dimensional echocardiography have more intense contractility impairment when compared to patients with the indeterminate form of the disease without this abnormality. The prognostic implications of these findings have not been established. We evaluated 59 patients (37-76 years, mean = 55 years) with different clinical forms of Chagas' disease, who had normal left ventricular global systolic function at baseline (57.6 ± 6.9 percent) and who had at least one additional echo during clinical follow-up (0.4-17.6; mean 4.6 years). Group 1 consisted of 14 patients with minor baseline left ventricle wall motion abnormalities and group 2 consisted of 45 patients without these abnormalities. During follow-up, global left ventricle systolic function deterioration was observed in 10 group 1 patients (71.4 percent) and in only 10 group 2 patients (22.2 percent; P < 0.005). Age and duration of follow-up were not independent determinants of left ventricular function deterioration in these patients. The present data indicate that mild segmental left ventricular wall motion abnormalities are associated with worsening of systolic function in Chagas' disease patients who have normal baseline global systolic performance.

Estudo de doppler fluxometria em retalho de abdominoplastia / Study of Eco-Doppler fluxometry in abdominoplasty flap

A abdominoplastia tem-se difundido mundialmente, tanto esteticamente como de forma reparadora, e novas técnicas estão surgindo com o objetivo de minimizar as complicações isquêmicas do retalho e melhorar o contorno corporal. No período de janeiro a julho de 2002, vinte e uma pacientes, do sexo feminino, com idade variando entre 39 e 54 anos, apresentando alteração no abdome do tipo III e IV de BOZOLA, foram submetidas a abdominoplastia associada à lipoaspiração do abdome e flancos e descolamento apenas da porção central para plicatura da diástase muscular de acordo com a técnica de Saldanha(2001). Foi realizado um estudo com doppler fluxometria colo- rida dos vasos epigástricos superiores, inferiores e suas perfurantes músculo cutâneas, no pré-operatório e no décimo quinto dia de pós-operatório, avaliando a vascularização da parede abdominal superior e inferior, contabilizando os ramos perfurantes, calibre e fluxo sangüíneo dos vasos. Este estudo comprovou, através de doppler fluxometria, a preservação dos vasos perfurantes na região periumbilical e hipocôndrio e o aumento do calibre dos vasos em 9 e do fluxo sangüíneo em 56. A manutenção da irrigação sangüínea do retalho foi demonstrada clinicamente, através da boa evolução da cicatriz e ausência de complicações, como necrose da borda do retalho e seroma.

Abdominoplasty surgery has spread universally, both as aesthetic and reconstructive procedures, and new techniques are appearing with the goal of minimizing ischemic complications of the flap and bettering body contour. From January 2002 to July 2002, twenty one female patients, range of 30 to 54 years, presenting abdominal alterations classified as type III and IV of Bozola, were submitted to abdominoplasty combined with abdominal and flank lipossuction and central portion undermining for muscular diastasis plication according to Saldanha’s technique. Eco-doppler fluxometry of the superior and inferior epigastric vessels and of their cutaneous muscular perfurans was done preoperatively and 15 days after the surgery, assessing the superior and inferior abdominal wall circulation, counting the number of perfurans vessels, the diameter and vessels flow. This study showed, through eco-doppler fluxometry, perfurans vessel preservation at the periumbelical and hypocondric areas and enhancement of vessels diameter (9) and vessels flow (56). Blood flow maintenance was demonstrated clinically through the good scar evolution and absence of complications, as flap necrosis and seroma.